Article and method by which &#34;benday&#34; tones are photographically produced



June 23, 1936. F. E. MARSH E1- AL 2,044,991

ARTICLE AND METHOD BY WHICH "BEN DAY TONES ARE PHOTOGRAPHICALLY PRODUCEDOriginal Filed May 8, 1954 FAYETTE E. MARSH CI-iARlES M/vomsm IN V ENTORS ATTORNEY Patented June 23, 1936 ARTICLE AND METHOD BY wmcn BEN DAYTONES ARE PHOTOGRAPHIGALLY PRODUCED Fayette E. Marsh and Charles H.Andersen, Los Angeles, Calii., assi'gnors to Charles V. Price, LosAngeles, Calif.

Original application May 8, 1934, Serial No. 724,534. Divided and thisapplication May 20, 1935, Serial No. 22,339

8 Claims. (Cl. 95-5) This invention relates to improvements in methodsof preparing printing plates by the photo-engraving or lithographicprocess, with special regard to the means of introducing into the saidplates shades or tones, generally known as Ben Day patterns.

It is well known in the engraving art, that Ben Day tones or shades maybe introduced into the plates from which a printed image is produced byone of several methods which fall into two general classifications. Bymethods in the first of these classifications, the pattern is placeddirectly upon the plate in ink before it is etched, and by methods inthe second classification the pattern is introduced into the camera copyand thereafter transferred to the plate as a component part of the imageto be reproduced, by the means regularly employed in the art. Theimproved process, provided by this invention, falls within thelatterclassification and photographically produces a negative into whichnegative has been introduced or added the desired tones or shades in BenDay pattern. This copy or negative containing the added shades or tonesis then used as camera copy for reproduction of plates by the engraver.

This invention further relates to improvements in the Method ofphotographically producing Ben Day tones, patented May 8, 1934,#1,957,790; and carries forward some of the important steps outlinedtherein. 1

This invention still further relates to improvements in the Method ofphotographically producing Ben Day tones patented Nov. 19, 1935, No.2,021,191.

This invention is a divisional application of our parent applicationfiled May 8, 1934; Serial Number 724,534 entitled Article and method bywhich Ben Day tones are photographically produced, patented Nov. 5,1935, No. 2,019,500.

We have discovered in the operation of the process described in theabovemethods that by photographing diiferent reflective coloring mattersthrough a stencil in Ben Day or other pattern, there is produced on thecamera film a negative image of the stencil, reduced or enlarged, in theareas colored, depending upon the light reflective value of the coloringmatter being photographed. 'Neither is the process limited to opaquecolorlngmatters only.

For example, if the stencil used contains small round openings of a meshof 60 to an inch, which openings make up 50% of the total area of thestencil, white reflective coloring matter will reglster on the film inthe camera a pattern of black dots which are considerably largerthan'the openings in the stencil and green or semi-transparentreflective coloring matter will register on the film a pattern of blackdots which are considerably smaller than the openings in the stencil.

Upon the discovery and knowledge of the foregoing facts and theirutilization are based the foundation for new improvements whichconstitute the essence of the present invention.

Important objects are listed as follows:

- First, the invention contemplates the elimination of certain stepsdisclosed in the parent application first referred to supra, whereby theoperation. is simplified and the cost of manufacture is reduced.

Second, the comparative ease by which a multiplicity of graduated tonesmay be produced.

Third, it provides a means whereby plates can be remade, should theplates become damaged or broken.

Fourth, it provides an article oi manufacture.

Other objects, not listed, will be apparent when viewed in the light ofthe drawing and what is claimed; also how much of the cost of producingtones or shades on printing plates is eliminated and how the engravingart is greatly enriched by the ease and flexibility of its use,especially in the making of so-called "color plates.

Withthe use of the embodiment shown in the accompanying drawing, thearticle and method whereby Ben Day tones are photographically producedwill now be disclosed.

The following is a brief description of the fig ures in the drawing:

Fig. 1 represents the master drawing.

Fig. 2 represents the transparent overlay on negative form, produced byphotographing the wsembly shown in Fig. 4.

The disclosure ofthe article and method whereby. Ben Day tones or shadesare photographically introduced into a given subject now follows step bystep.

First, we provide a suitable subject to be shaded which in the presentinstance is termed a master drawing and represents a cube (block). Sucha subject is shown in Fig. 1.

Next, we superimpose on the face of the master drawing a transparentsheet and upon said sheet lay various reflective coloring materials,having different reflective coloring values, corresponding to the areason which different values of the Ben Day pattern are to subsequentlyappear in the photographic negative.

Pursuant to this plan we color that area white where we wish to produceon the corresponding area of the fllm in the camera, a dark Ben Day toneor shade, and that area blue-green where we wish to produce on thecorresponding area of the film in the camera, alight Ben Day" tone orshade. A

Other areas, we color in intermediate tones of blue-green to white,where we wish to produce on the corresponding area of the film in thecamera, intermediate Ben Day tones.

A similar arrangement of other reflective coloring matters havingdifferent reflective values may be utilized to produce like results andtherefore 'can be used interchangeably.

Next we remove the overlay from the master drawing and position itbefore the camera for reproduction and superimpose on the overlay inthatposition, a stencil in Ben Day pattern. The assembly at this stage ofthe process is represented in Fig. 4. The assembly is then photographedand the negative produced is represented in Fig. 5 and constitutes thearticle.

It will be noticed that when'the overlay is removed from the masterdrawing and photographed thru the stencil, the lines of the drawving arenot reproduced on the photographic negative obtained, but it rathercontains only the varying values of Ben Day patterns resulting fromphotographing the coloring materials previously laid upon the overlay.When and if the lines of the master drawing are to be carried into thenegative, we use the process disclosed in the pending application ofwhich this is a division.

The negative represented by Fig. 5 is a commercial product valuable tothe trade-as known for printing to metal in the making of etched plates.

The invention contemplates broadly the method of photographing variousreflective coloring matters, having difierent reflective values, througha transparency on which has been imprinted, on one of the faces thereof,8. Ben Day pattern.

It has been disclosed, step by step, by the method hereinbeforedescribed. Whether the various reflective coloring matters are placed onthe Ben Day stencil or on the transparency, is considered patentablyimmaterial, so long as the stencil and the coloring matter iscontiguous. This would be interpreted as meaning, placing the coloringmatter on the transparency against the stencil design itself, as statedsupra, or placing the various reflective coloring matters on atransparency and then placing the imprinted side of the stencil againstthe coloring matter and photographing the combination.

It should be understood that the present disclosure is for the purposeof illustration only and that this invention includes all modificationsand equivalents which fall within the scope of what is claimed.

We claim: l

1. The method of producing Ben Day tones or shading eifects whichconsists in providing a master drawing to be-toned, superimposing uponsaid drawing a transparency, coloring the areas 5 on said transparencywith materials having different reflective coloring values correspondingto the areas of the drawing on which tones are desired when reproducedby printing, separating the transparency from'the drawing and making anegative by photographing the transparency and the colored areas thereonthru a stencil in Ben Day pattern.

2. The method of producing Ben Day tones upon a negative which consistsin superposing a transparency upon a drawing, coloring the areas on thetransparency corresponding to the areas .of the drawingon which tonesare desired when reproduced by printing with materials having differentcolor reflective values, separating the transparency from the drawingand photographing the transparency and the colored areas thereon thru astencil in Ben Day" pattern.

3. A photographic negative made by photographing atransparency, providedwith areas colored with materials having different color reflectivevalues, thru a stencil in Ben Day pattern.

4. The method of producing "Ben Day tones upon a photographic negativewhich consists in super-posing a transparency upon a drawing on whichtones are desired when reproduced by printing, coloring the areas on thetransparency corresponding to the areas of the drawing on which tonesare desired with materials having different color reflective values,separating the transparency from the drawing and photographing thetransparency and the colored areas thereon thru a stencil in Ben Daypattern.

5. The method of producing "Ben Day tones which consists in coloringareas on a transparency with materials having diflerent color reflectivevalues and photographing the same thru a stencil in Ben Day pattern.'

6. An article comprising a composite arrange- 5 ment of a transparencyhaving in selected areas thereof suitable reflective coloring mattershaving diflerent reflective values forming a background, and atransparency containing a pattern in Ben Day" through which saidbackground is photographable. I

An article comprising a composite arrangement of two transparencies, onetransparency including suitable reflective coloring matters havingdifferent reflective values placed in selected areas thereonphotographable thru the second transparency and the second transparencybeing provided with a Ben Day stencil and placed nearest the camera.

8. The method oi. photographing reflective 001- orlng mattersselectively positioned on a transparency, which have been applied withmaterials having different reflective values, through a transparencycontaining a"Ben Day pattern to produce a negative whereon difierentshades or tones of the Ben Day pattern occur, substantially asdescribed.

FAYETTE E. MARSH. CHARLES H. 'ANDERSEN.

